Talk:Waitangi Day
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Does anyone know if the 'd' in 'day' is lowercase for a specific reason? --Chuq 13:20, 7 Jul 2004 (UTC)
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[edit] Major changes
I have made some major changes to the page, mostly regarding the history of Waitangi Day. This is a subject which has been under-researched, and it is not surprising that the history was vague and occasionally inaccurate. All my changes are based on my (as yet uncompleted) PhD thesis, so I was unfortunately unable to provide many references. However I can add a few in if people feel they are needed. I have also removed one or two things which are no longer current, such as the section on Peter Dunne's NZ Day bill. This seems to have fallen into oblivion, so there was no point in the reference to it remaining up. --Helenalex 00:52, 31 December 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Original research
I have just read the policy on original research, and realised that it probably looks like I have broken it. Pretty much all the facts I have used are on the nzhistory.net site which is linked at the bottom of the Waitangi Day page. It wasn't one of my sources, but it does back up nearly everything which I've said. If anyone has an issue with anything specific I will endevour to find a specific published reference for it. --Helenalex 01:02, 31 December 2006 (UTC)
- I've replied at User talk:Helenalex as the questions raised go beyond any single article.-gadfium 01:34, 31 December 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Weasel words
[Re-written with further examples] The "Controversy and Protest" and "Celebrations" sections have some deeply problematic sentences.
- "in the early 1980s attempts were made to halt the celebrations altogether"
- "Many Maori see these as moves to disregard the Treaty."
- "The official celebrations were shifted from Waitangi to Wellington in 2001. This change was considered an insult to Māori."
The second and third quotations (notably the use of the passive in the second sentence of the third quotation) are classic examples of weasel words. Can anyone name names? If not, I see no alternative but to delete the problem sentences. The first quotation is not quite as problematic, as names were named earlier in the same paragraph; even so I greatly doubt that Nga Tamatoa are the only people meant in this sentence.
Furthermore:
- "This however is contrary to the basic nature of the commemoration, which is of a treaty between the Crown and Māori"
-- is, let us say, a tad non-NPOV. I rather doubt the PM would agree, for example. 121.73.13.228 01:51, 6 February 2007 (UTC)
The first quote I have references for somewhere, and I will try and dig them out when I get back to work. I didn't mean to imply that I was talking about Nga Tamatoa, and I'm not even sure if they were still around in the early 1980s. I've just rewritten it so that Nga Tamatoa are acknowledged as pioneers but hopefully now I'm not suggesting that they were the only group protesting at Waitangi ever.
The other stuff was not written by me, but...
The 2nd quote I don't have a problem with because I do remember people expressing those views, but it would be good to have references. The 3rd should be reworded to make it clear that not everyone (not even all Maori) saw it as an insult, and a reference would be good. I'll change the wording.
I've gotten rid of the entire paragraph the last quote was in, because I don't think the media hoo-ha about whether or not the PM will go to Waitangi is particularly important, and that was really the sole reason why people paid more attention to the PM than the GG at Waitangi. Objectively speaking, the Treaty IS between the Crown and Maori rather than the government and Maori, so its not really the sentence you picked out that I had an issue with, rather the assertion that the media's focus on the PM somehow changed the nature of the commemorations. If the original author of the paragraph meant something else they need to rephrase it, and ideally find a reference.
To the person above - you have some intelligent points to make; how about creating an account (or signing in if you already have one) so we can get to know you? --Helenalex 05:48, 6 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Non-Anglo Celtic European
What on earth is "Non-Anglo Celtic European"? -- BBlackmoor (talk) • 2007-02-06 19:22Z
They are Europeans who are'nt Ango-Celtic (ie British and/or Irish). I've changed the wording to 'non-British' since it's clearer and I don't think Irish NZers have any special connection to Waitangi Day either. The whole sentence is very POV - 'many' New Zealanders think this? - and should be modified at the very least, especially if no one has a reference. --Helenalex 03:33, 7 February 2007 (UTC)
